Life-raft



Nrrn STATES muon.

LIFE- RAFT.

SPECIFIGAr'IQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,264, dated April 6, 1880.

Application led October 13, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, MARIA E. BEAsLEY, of the city and county of Philadelphia, an d State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Life-Raft, for the purpose of saving life in case of shipwreck; and I do hereby declare the following to be a sufciently full, clear, and exact description thereof to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

The object of my invention is to furnish a tire-proof, compact, safe, and readily-launched raft, which can be made instantly available when required.

rIhe nature of niyinvention consistsin, first, a system of hollow metallic rectangular floats having the ends beveled on the under side and united in parallel position by hinges, so that they may be folded together when stowed or spread out dat when in use, and in a series of bars and hooks combined with said floats, so that they maybe held in iiat position when in use; second, in combining, with said system of floats, bars, and hooks, arailing or guard,hin ged thereto, so as to fold compactly parallel with the floats when stored, and when in use fast ened at the corners, so as to inclose the deck or surface of the raft and furnish support for the thwarts or seats and rowlocks or thole-pins, furnishing fulcruins for the oars in rowing; third, in combining, with the raft formed of parallel prismatic floats and guard-rails, thwarts, and rowlocks, or equivalent oar-supports, provision-receptacles which can be kept continuously ready for any emergency of shipwreck.

I will now proceed to particularly describe the construction and operation of my invention, referring in so doing to the drawings annexed and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l shows the invention, in perspective, as when in use. Fig. 2 shows the invention as folded for stowing, Fig. 3, a float in section in middle transverse.

A are flat rectangular metallic floats having the lower side of the ends beveled. These are fastened to each other by hinges B. In some or all of these iloats A are formed cavities or chambers O, provided with a stopper, D, holding provisions. Bars E are pivoted upon the upper side of the float, and engage in hooks F, fastened firmly to the Lipper sides of the otheriioats, and when engaged in the hooks F the bars E hold the floats in the same lat plane, and when turned in parallel position with the iloats A the bars E make no impediment in the folding of the raft, the positions of the pins of the hinges B beingin such relation to the upper surfaces of the floats A that a space adequate to receive the bars E and hooks F is provided when the floats A are folded. Upon the sides of the outer floats are hinges G, attaching a grated railing, H, provided with a strong upper rail, J, with rowlocks K thereon. At the opposite end of each of the railings H are hinged gates L made also of gratings, which, fastening to the other end of the opposite railing or grating H, form a complete rectangular inelosure. When folded, the railings H and gates L lie in parallel position with the floats A. Seats or thwarts M are placed across the raft, resting when in use on the meshes of the gratings H, and when stowed are placed parallel with the floats A and gratings H.

A flag-staff, N, is placed in rings 0 and P in one of the gates L. The flag-staff N, together with oars and a boat-hook, is placed parallel with the thwarts when the raft is stored.

The provision-receptacles being air-tight, provisions can be safely stored therein without deteriorating from drying up or by encroachment by vermin.

I am aware that life-rafts have been made by flexibly connecting hollow tubes. Such rafts do not afford a flat deck, and are objectionable for that reason, and are hereby disclaimed.

Also, that life-rafts consisting of two floats adjustable at variable distances. This, also, I disclaim.

Also, that sectional folding liferafts in which floats hinged to and folding around a central keel have been made, which I disclaim as any part of my invention, and are objectionable on account of their bulk when folded and for want of stiffness when extended, not having, when extended, as in myinvention, the 'fiat surfaces of the sections so presented to each other as to prevent the accidental closing of the raft by force applied laterally.

Having described my invention and the mode of making and operatin g the same,what I claim IOG and a support for the thwarts and rowloeks or thole-pins, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A life-saving raft oonsistingof prisxnatic metallic oats with beveled ends united by hinges and stiffened by cross-bars and hooks7 and provided with a guard-railing, thwarts, and thole-pin s or rowloclis, and provision-receptacles, as and for the purpose set forth.

M. E. BEASLEY.V

Witnesses: y

ALEX. H. SIEGEL, J. DANlEL EBY. 

